Undergraduate/Graduate – Intern - Summer - Cyber Mission Assurance

The National Laboratory of the Rockies’ (NLR) cybersecurity research is strengthening our grid against tomorrow's threats. The selected intern would join the Cyber Mission Assurance team to support research efforts within the Cybersecurity Research Center’s portfolio including:

• Characterization of the potential for U.S. electric grid disruption from natural hazards and human threats

• Assessment of the cybersecurity of distributed energy systems

• Strengthening the resilience of the U.S. electric grid

The Cyber Mission Assurance team is looking for talented Software or AI Engineering interns to help build intelligent, data-driven applications for 5G and emerging 6G networks. This internship focuses on developing RIC rApps, xApps, and dApps, along with NWDAF-based analytics, enabling closed-loop automation and AI-powered optimization across the RAN and core network. Interns will work on cloud-native, microservice-based systems that apply machine learning and advanced analytics to real network data, contributing to next-generation autonomous networks.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement RIC applications:

• rApps (non-real-time optimization and policy-driven automation)

• xApps (near-real-time RAN control and optimization)

• dApps (distributed and domain-specific intelligent network functions)

• Develop and enhance NWDAF analytics functions for performance monitoring, prediction, anomaly detection, and optimization

• Build AI/ML models for network intelligence (forecasting, classification, reinforcement learning, root-cause analysis)

• Implement closed-loop automation workflows using AI insights and RIC control interfaces

• Develop cloud-native microservices using containers and Kubernetes

• Integrate with O-RAN and 3GPP interfaces (A1, E2, O1, service-based APIs)

• Process and analyze large-scale, time-series and streaming network data

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on design, testing, and validation

• Document software designs, experiments, and technical results

What you will learn:

• End-to-end development of RIC rApps, xApps, and dApps in 5G/6G systems

• Practical implementation of NWDAF-based analytics and AI pipelines

• Applying AI/ML to closed-loop network automation

• Building telecom-grade, scalable cloud-native software

• Insights into 6G intelligence, autonomous networks, and standardization trends.